Mower.



No. 68|,446. Patented Aug. 27, i901. .1. F. ELLSWQRTl-l.

MUWE'L (Applicntion filed lum 6 1900.)

(N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Shed! I.

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witnesses No. 68I,446. Pa'tenvted Aug. 27. |901. J. F. ELLSWORTH.

MWER.

(Application @led June 6. 1900.|

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

*wi/buona Tw: uonms Eriks co, PHoTn-Llrno. wAsNmcYow No. 6a|,4 46.Patented Aug. 27, 190|.,`

J. F. ELLSWOBTH.

MOWEB.

l application med June e, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I JONATHAN F. ELLSIVORTH, OF HYANNIS, NEBRASKA. I

MOWER.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,446, eaten August27, 1961'.

Application filed June 6, 1900. Serial No. 191'286. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN F. ELLs- WORTH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hyannis, in the county of Grant and State ofNebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mowers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for cutting grass and weeds along therails of a railway-track; and its object is to provide etlicient meansfor the purpose.

The invention consists in the construction herein described and pointedout.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective showing one-halfthe improved device applied to a hand-car, the latter being shown onlyin part. Fig. 2 isa partial front elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. etis a partial side elevation. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a partialperspective and section showing connections of a shoe, cutting-knife,and frame. Fig. 7 is a section of cuttingblades adjusted for sharpeningone of them. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail showing the pivotal connectionof a pilot-wheel frame and runner-frame with a supporting-shaft. Fig. 9is a view, on an enlarged scale, of a socket in a pilot-wheel frame toreceive the foot of a mower-elevating screw.

Numeral 1 denotes the iioor of a hand-car of ordinary construction,which may have the usual or any desired means of propulsion or may bepushed directly by hand or by a Inotor having its own supporting-wheels.

2 indicates an axle of the car.

The invention is conveniently applicable to so-called hand-cars such asnow in use; but any carriageadapted to support the mechanism hereindescribed and suitable to run on the track-rails may beemployed.

In the present instance two pieces of scantling A, having any suitabledimensions, are bolted or lclamped to a hand-car, one on each side, asclearly shown in Fig. 1. Another piece B is secured tothe front end ofthe car and also secured by metal straps C to the side pieces. Thesepieces constitute a supporting-frame supplemental to the car platform orframe and provide for attaching the machine to different cars withoutseriously mutilating them. In Figs. 1, 3, and fi only a part of thesupplemental frame is shown. Fig.1 3 indicates that said frame has twoside bars A, connected by a cross-bar B. Obviouslyy the supplementalframe could be fixed to the' car by suitable removable clamps.

3 3 denotes hangers fixed to the cross-piece B, there being two hangerson each side.

5 denotes a shaft turning in bearings 4 in'- 6e 5x Indicates rods eachhaving it inner end screwed eitherinto an inner hanger 3 or intoA asuitably-threaded piece or plate fixed toV such hanger, and therebyheldfrom rotating.'

thelower end of the inner hangers.

The outer ends of rods 5x are shaped to receive a tool whereby they maybe screwed into said plate or other inner support.

5ZZ denotes blocks loosely supported onV rods 5X.

6 indicates forked frames pivotally sup-` 'of the frame 6 are fastenedto said uprights.

Each vertical frame 9 has a top cross-bar 10. Said frame is stayed bythe curved braces 11, and its top is rigidly connected to the frame 6 bybars 12.

13 denotes the handle of a screw connecting the frame 9 with thepilot-wheel frame (to be described) and adapted to verticallyporting-frames.

The cutter-supporting `shaft 14 operatively supports two cutters adaptedto cut each side of the track-rail. They may be of' usual or of anyapproved form. As represented, they are provided with curved blades 15and are combined with a stationary blade 16, fixed between the runners 8at or near their junction with the uprights 9x. The brackets supportingshaft 14 have elongated slots 14', so that said brackets can be moved tochange the positions of the cutters relatively to the runners.

17 denote pilot-wheels, and 18 pilot-wheel frames connecting theaxle-bearings of the pilot-wheels with the rods 5x, upon which saidadjust the cutters, runners, and their sup- IOO frames are pivoted bymeans of the block 5.- Each frame 18 has a semicircular part 33Xsituated under the cutter-shaft and such part in the present instance isstitfened by short similarly-curved pieces 18. The frame 18 alsocomprises a cross-bar 18", curved and joined to the frame, as shown. Theside members of frame 18 are also connected integrally by a cross-bar18",having a downwardly-bent part 18)'. The frames 6 and 18 areconnected by pivots 18X,(best shown in Fig. 8,) extending through saidparts (5 and 18 and through fiange 57, which depends from thebearingblock 5, supported on rod 5X and capable of turning thereon. Byturning the handled screw-rod 13 through cross-bar 28 of frame 9 saidframe can be adjusted relatively to the frame 18. The foot 33y of saidscrew-rod may be spherical and connected to bar 33xX by a curvedsocket-piece 332, Fig. 9. The curved andlower portion of the frame 18may be supplemented by a curved and corrugated steel piece 33, (shown inFig. 1,) and the foot of rod 13 can be stepped in the groove 34: (seeFig. 9) in said piece or segments. As therod 13 is screwed through thecutter-frame bar 28 the .frame is pushed up and away from the stationaryframe of the pilot-wheel.

' The particular form ofthe frames and other details may be variedwithout departing from the main features of the invention.

, It will be understood that there are a pilotwheel and two cutters foreach rail and that each pair of cutters has its own frames and shaft.

Each pair of cutters is driven by a sprocketwheel 19, fixed on a shaft14 and connected by a chain 2O to and driven by a sprocketwheel 21 onthe shaft 5. Said shaft has a sprocket-wheel 22, connected by chain 23with a sprocket-wheel 2a on the car-axle, all as shown, whereby when thecar is driven or pushed forward the cutters are operated.

27 denotes a lever having a fulcrum at 28 and adapted to raise thecutter-frames, cntters, and runners to provide for passing over switchesor other obstructions.

33 are segments supported on the supplement-ary frame adjacent thelevers 27, and 34X are lever-holding pawls engaging the teeth of thesegment-racks.

' 35 are posts on the supplementary frame to provide bearings forpulleys 36 for iexible connections 37 between the cutter-frames and thelevers.

If desired, the cutter-frames, cutters, and runners can be turned backto a position of rest on the car. The pilot-wheels 17 and their framesmay also be turned back onto the car by simply turning the frames aboutthe rods 5".

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 is shown a construction whereby the stationaryknife 16 can be tilted and held in such relation to the curved blades 15that the :latter may be sharpened by rotating them against knife 16.Said knife lnay be supported so as to be capable of turning on pivots,such as 9.

8' are screw-bolts securing the runners 8 to the frame.`

8' are screws securing blades 16 to the shoes. The blades can beslightly tilted on their pivots 9', eitherfforwardly or backwardly, bysuitably loosening one of earch pair of screws 8" and tightening theother. If the front edge of the blade 16 be tilted up so that the dullededges of the rotary blades strike on the upper face of blade 16 near itsedge, said rotary blades will be sharpened. By tilting up the rear edgeof blade 16 and providing it with oil and emery the rotary blades may besharpened by running the mowerblades baekwardly.

To insure smooth and steady action, rollers 30 are provided to rotate insupports 31, riveted to the inner members 7 of the forked frame 6 nearthe foot ot' each, just above runners 8, said members constitutingextensions of frame 9. Said rollers bear on the rail and tend to checklateral vibrations of the mechanism. I

Y 32 denote guards for the sprocket-wheels 19 and chains 20. The barsare curved to conform to the wheel in front and are lixed to the frame.They prevent grass or weeds from catching under the chain. oppositesides of a rail and fixed to and carried by a sickle-bar supportingreciprocating blades have been proposed, and such construction is notherein claimed. It is characteristic of the present improvement that theguard is drawn along the rail, whereby it is less liable to be injuredby an accidental obstruction and also that it is provided with a specialsupport including an extension of a cutter-supporting frame below theshaft of a rotary cutter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a car to run 011 a track, a .rotary cutter, acutter-supporting frame, a runner supported by said cutter-supportingframe in position to travel on the ground beside a track-rail, arunner-guiding and cutter-frame-steadying roller to bear on atrack-rail,and a roller-support connected with the cutter-supportingframe, the roller-support being supported from the cutter-frame at apoint in advance of the roller.

A 2. In combination with a car to run on a itrack, a cutter, acutter-supporting frame, a steadying-roller to bear on a track-rail, anextension of the cutter-supporting frame situated in front of and belowthe cutter-shaft, and a support for said roller carried by saidextension, the roller being at the rear end of its support whereby it isdrawn along the rail.

3. In combination with a car to run on a track, a cutter, acutter-supporting frame, a runner, a steadying-roller to bear on atrackrail, an extension of the cutter-supporting frame situated in frontof and below the cutter-shaft, and a support for said roller carried bysaid extension, the roller being at the Guards being on ICO rear end ofits support whereby it is drawn along the rail, said extension beingfixed to the runner.

4. In a machine adapted to run on a track, a rotary cutter, acutter-supporting frame, a pilot-wheel, a steadying-roller to bear onthe side of a track-rail, an extension of the cutter-supporting framesituated in front of and below the cutter-shaft and extending to thefront of the cutter, a support for said roller carried by saidextension, and a runner, said extension being fixed to the runner andthe roller being drawn along the rail.

5. In combination with a car to run on a track, a cutter, acutter-supporting frame, and a steadying device for said frame, saiddevice being fixed to the said frame in front of the cutter and extendedrearwardly of the point of its support on the frame, and adjacent theside of a track-rail, whereby it is adapted to be drawn along in contactwith said rail.

6. In combination with a car to run on a track, a mower-supportingframe, a pilotwheel frame carrying a pilot-wheel in position to run onone of the track-rails, said frames being pivotally supported by the caron a horizontal axis, and a screw screwing through a part of themower-frame and bearing on the pilot-wheel frame, whereby the mowers canbe raised or lowered with respect to the pilotwheel frame by turningsaid screw,

7. In combination with a car to run on a track, a mower-supportingframe, a pilotwheel frame carrying a pilot-wheel in position to run onone of the track-rails, said frames being pivotally supported by the caron a horizontal axis, and a screw screwing through a part of themower-frame and bearing on the pilot-wheel frame, whereby the mowers canbe raised or lowered, said pilotwheel frame having a supplemental piecesituated behind the mower and provided with a socket or groove in whichthe screw is stepped.

8. In combination with a car to run on a track, mower-supporting frames,hangers mediately fixed to the car, rods fixed in the hangers topivotally support the mower-frames, and a rotating shaft to drive themowers, said shaft being supported to turn in a part of said hangers.

9. In combination with a car to run on a` ver, said segment, lever andcooperating parts being also supported by the detachable frame.

lO. In combination with a car to run onl a track, a shaft held inbrackets supported by the car, a pilot-wheel, a pilot-wheel framepivotally supported by the car, a mower-supporting frame, mowers andrunners supported by said mower-supporting frame, which frame ispivotally supported by the car, and means bearing on the pilot-wheelframe for elevating the mower-supporting frametoliftthe runners andmowers.

l1. In combination with a car to run on a track, a shaft, bracketssupported by the car for holding the shaft, a pilot-wheel, a pilotwheelframe,a mower-supporting frame, mowers and runners carried by themower-supporting frame, said' frames being pivotally supportedconcentric to the shaft, a lever fulcrumed on the car for lifting therunners and mowers simultaneously, and means bearing on the pilot-wheelframe and connected with the mower-supporting frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

,y JONATHAN F. ELLSWORTI-I. Witnesses:

' ALLEN LIGHT,

W. H. NICKLES.

